The Persona Game [Closed]

[stringmods]

Who: Ayumu Narumi & Friends
Where: MAGI Building
Summary: The Persona game is attempted by a new arrival
Warnings: Philemon shows up in this one. SCIENCE?!

The building had no markings or a fancy sign. For all intent and purposes it looked like an unmarked building in a row of similar brethren. Most civilians would pass by without knowing anything was particularly unique about it. After all, the best place for hiding was right in plain view. Two-sided windows which mean you couldn't quite see what was inside, the building itself rose about six stories high and had a single door, located on the front.

Once inside, there was a man waited behind a desk, blocking the pathway leading to what looked like a metallic door. The desk itself was without fanfare or much attention either; just a single computer, a small potted plant, a small stash of paper that looked like it was never used and a ground-line telephone that was almost laughable in the age of COMP systems. He was dressed in a suit; as with most typical Japanese businessmen. The strange black bumps on the ceiling were undoubtedly hiding cameras, making it impossible to know what they were looking at.

Once someone got in, he looked up at them, his face perfectly neutral, voice gruff and demanding an answer as soon as possible. This time there wasn't an army of people trying to barge in, after all.

"Name?"

Comments

[melodyoflogic]

So he'd be the first to attempt it here, at least as far as their data knew. Tucking the bits of info she offered away for later, he follows her down the wall, glancing at the doors they pass. This was some serious security here.... And what was that on the doors?

"I'm curious about that, too. And thank you for all your assistance, Ma'am." After Miyako swipes her card, Ayumu steps forward to do the same. He had a few guesses as to why this Kandori guy might want data on this, if he was in 'weaponry' research, but he'd like to hear the name of whoever else was involved.

[bondsofsuffering]

Well, hopefully they'd find someone to answer questions, whether it was Kandori or Philemon himself. Although... when it comes down to it, Hizumi wouldn't be surprised if the pair of them managed to dodge any questions through mystical or mundane ways, each.

"Thanks for taking us here," Hizumi says with a polite smile. "Even if you couldn't answer everything, it was helpful!" Except not really. But it's best to be nice about it, at least.

He swipes his card after Ayumu. If he didn't intend to turn back, Hizumi wouldn't, either.

[hinoto_ri]

Before Momoi could answer they were already on the other side, as the door slammed behind them. Uneasy silence followed in the very dimly lit room, before a few headlights slowly opened overhead.

"Hello!" Another scientist said, waving at them coming from the unidentifiable lights in the back. Despite the gloomy nature of the place, she was grinning. "My name is Maiko Kora! Pleased to meet you. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

[bondsofsuffering]

"...Ah. You were the one at the science expo, weren't you?"

He remembers her well. It had certainly become an interesting discussion, particularly when a certain room came up... "So you'll be the one helping us here?"

[hinoto_ri]

"That's right!" she seemed quite pleased that someone remembered her, and answering both questions at once. "I'll be the last of the four participants in this experiment. There will be others including Mr.Kandori who will be monitoring our vital signs and watching for paranormal signs."

She gave them a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, I've done this countless times with both seniors and young children. You're all in good hands!"

[melodyoflogic]

"That's very reassuring, ma'am." At the very least, if anything went wrong they'd have a way to tell. And with two experts in the room, they'd know if something was going wrong if it did..... hopefully, anyway.

"Will we need to do anything specific to prepare?"

[hinoto_ri]

"We will be installing sensors over various parts of your body to monitor your brainwaves and other activities. Neurological, Respiratory, Hemodynamic, Cardiac..." she went off for a while, going on about inflatable blood pressure cuffs and electroencephalography. Maiko was proud of her chosen field, and it showed.

"...I promise nothing is intrusive! Moreover, the nanomachines you have will aid you...well apart from the newcomer." Without a persona, it seemed, the nanomachines hadn't come to him. "Here's hoping that once you get your Persona, you'll get a group to come to you!"

She advanced into the room, where a circle had been set up.

"While this is not completely necessary, we're not taking any chances!" Thus, elaborate summoning circles had been painted on the floor, with four corners for each of them to stand. Candles too, that lit up as mysteriously as the rest of the room. "Once we're all ready, we can stand on our respecting poles. They'll fit our testing instruments there."

[capitalbackup]

Miyako studied the summoning circles with a curious look. As one of the Hotsuins, she studied plenty of summoning circles, from simple to exceedingly intricate designs based on certain functions. At the sight of them, the acting Chief of JP's was checking to see if there's any familiar designs on the circles.

There's the basic circle, as well as "summoning"...

"Do we just pick any positions we like, or are there specific spots for certain players?"

[bondsofsuffering]

...Golly, it's a really good thing he tests just fine, or this could have gotten incredibly awkward. No need for Ayumu to find out about the whole molecular failure quite yet.

"It sounds like you're going to have a fun time of it...! Aren't you lucky?"

He gives Ayumu a few incredibly enthusiastic (and just as unnecessary) pats on the back. If the circles everywhere bothers him in the slightest, he certainly gives no indication of it.

"It should be fine if we stand wherever, as long as there are four of us, right?" He's already heading for a corner.

[hinoto_ri]

"A-actually," she began, coughing. "Not quite. As each of us are different astrology signs, it is best to maximize our chances by starting out standing on the position right before the one linked to ours. For example, as a Capricorn, my sign is to the south. As this is where I went to end, I shall be heading to the circle representing West."

To which she pointed.

"Mr. Narumi, you are Sagittarius, therefore your direction is East. Place yourself in the South circle. Ms.Hotsuin, Gemini is a West sign. The North circle is yours. As for you, Mr. Mizushiro," she stopped a few seconds, watching him walk away, "as a Pisces, your sign is aligned with the North. Take the east circle, please."

[melodyoflogic]

Nanomachines.... That sounded unpleasantly invasive, to say the least. Sounded, but it probably didn't feel that way, considering every visitor here had them. He pointedly ignored the pats on the back, focusing on Maiko's words and the esoteric circle that looked like something out of a some sort of cult ritual.

"The south, you said?" He makes his way over to the south circle, stopping there in the middle.

[bondsofsuffering]

"Ah... Whoops. Sorry, then." He'll obligingly change course for the eastern circle, stopping once he's reached the center of it. For a "game", this has an awful lot of rules...

[capitalbackup]

"As I expected."

Even something as simple as where to stand have certain rules, in order to maximise the flow of energy and affinity. Otherwise, there may be...accidents, so to speak.

Miyako swiftly walked over towards the northern circle and stopped in the middle. She looked at the other players, waiting.

Sorry for lateness!

[hinoto_ri]

She also took her circle.

"Okay just give them a few minutes while they apply some machines on you to monitor your vitals..." As she talked, a few other scientists came forth and began to place several items on various parts of their bodies, from the heart to the head. When they were done, they nodded and went back to the deep end of the observation. The lights dimmed again and they were just left with the candles lighting up the room.

"Alright," she began, somewhat sheepishly. "I wish I could say that the ritual is a serious of much more fantastic words, but it's actually quite simple. Just follow me lead and do exactly what I do."

Stepping out of her circle, she called forth.

"Persona, persona, please come here!"

When she got to there Narumi was, she stepped inside his circle and gave him a gentle push with a single hand to where he needed to go.

[melodyoflogic]

Ayumu stood still as they worked to attach the devices, eyeballing their work as they went. He knew it was necessary, but this was more than a little weird to have so many pieces of machinery attached to his body.

The 'ritual' was something he'd already been told about, but here and now, with all these elaborate preparations and effects, it seemed almost ludicrously understated and a bit silly. Still, silly or not, when he's pushed forward by Maiko he steps out of the circle.

Here goes nothing.

"Persona, persona, please come here!"

[bondsofsuffering]

And that would make it Hizumi's turn, huh? Once Ayumu has entered his circle, he begins to walk to Miyako.

"Persona, persona, please come here!"

His voice is cheerful, and he calls it out in almost a sing-song tone. Silly it may be, but he clearly doesn't have any problems with it.

[capitalbackup]

Miyako held up a good poker face when they attached the devices to her body. She knew it was necessary and put up with it, but her dislike can be briefly seen before it's gone.

It's her turn now, and she started walking over towards Maiko's circle after Hizumi entered hers.

"Persona, persona, please come here!"

In contrast to Hizumi's, her voice was firm and clear. The steps may be different, but this was just another summoning ritual for a Hotsuin.

[hinoto_ri]

At first there was nothing. In fact there was nothing for a good thirty seconds that felt more like hours.

"..."

Nothing but the sounds of silence.

The scientist seemed disappointed and let out a sigh.

"...well I guess that didn't work. Sometimes there's no reaction, Perhaps we could--"

Suddenly above them the air began to swirl, the electrical instruments moving widely as the very ceiling tore in half. Despite being underground, they could see a bluish sky reaching right into the stars above. That window began to crack, as she continued to talk to them nonchalantly, paying no attention to it. No she...didn't seem to notice.

Suddenly some of the stars began to explode as lightening seeped out and moved all around them, before hitting the other three summoners right into the chest. The feeling was not unlike getting a punch to the gut.

The last thing they would remember is that they would feel very light-headed, before their bodies gave way and they all fell to the floor.

[EDIT= thread continued here.]